Improvement in fire-escapes



v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 1). 0. STRIFLER,

8. 7. 8 2 .V u I; d e m rr'nD rA'rEs PATENT DANIEL O. STRIFLER, OF ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,511, dated July2,1878; application filed February 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL O. STRIFLER, of St. Louis, in the county ofSt. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented an Improved Fire-Escape,of which the following is a specifieation:

This invention is an improvement of the machine for which Letters Patentwere granted me in the United States dated November 20, 1877 and beingNo. 197,232, and,like it, is designed for the use of a fire-department,the de-- vices, however, by which the objects and purposes of themachine are accomplished being in many respects essentially different inthe two machines, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofmy fire-escape, the ladders thereof being shown extended. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of part of the carriage and parts of its ladders raisedin extended position, and showing the hand-lever attachments to operatesaid ladders, as will hereinafter appear, Figs. 3 and 4 being respectivetop and bottom plans of my fire-escape. Fig. 5 is a detached view of oneof thetop pulleys of the extension-sections.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a suitable truck or carriage. Upon the-carriage is mountedthe series of ladders B B B B &o., of different sizes, and arrangedtogether so as to slide within each other when raised or lowered, andnest together when not to be used. The main ladder B (carrying the otherladders) has a projectin g journal, 0, which turns in the short arm of aspring-bar lever, 0. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 3.)

The ladder so journaled can freely turn when operated by the differenthand attachments, as will hereinafter appear.

The spring-bar lever C constitutes a hand attachment, and it isconstructed to operate for the purposes as follows: The short arm of thespring-bar lever engages the journal 0 of the ladder B, as just stated.At 0 is the fulcrum for the lever O proper, its spring-lever a properlyengaging any of the holes in the segment plate 0 which is attached tothe wagon. (See Figs. 1, 2.) By means of the said hand attachment 0 theladders can be raised from or lowered onto the street, or adjusted tounevenness of surface, or ad usted and secured laterally, or made toincline, and

otherwise assume safe positions, so that the top of the highest laddercan be shifted or made to reach from one window or high point toanother, and that without lowering the extended ladders.

In my former patent the hand attachments used engaged teeth or ratchetsof a segmentplate, and only secured the ladders in one direction. Incase the ladders tipped sidewise or swung away from the perpendicular,serious consequences might result.

By theaise of the present hand attachments G the ladders are locked inall directions, since its spring-lever o by its projecting arm, engagesthe hole in the plate, and thus the weight of the wagon is utilized toafford a firm support for the ladder.

To raise and lower the ladders for extension purposes, I am aware thatheretofore the rope has been passed up one side of the lower section ofladders over pulley at top thereof, thence down between the sectionsover a pulley at lower part of second section, thence again up betweenthe sections, and so on, to finally connect to bottom of the highestsections. All the pulleys, however, being arranged at right angles withthe rungs, the rope had to pass between or through the space of therungs in order to be passed in the same space. This necessity incurredthe disadvantages of not obtaining that complete extension of eachsection and the use of the larger sizes of pulleys, also cable, and safeoperation of the tackle hich I accomplish by my tackle, and which willnow be fully described.

In iny arrangement of tackle, Iv lay great stress upon the manner ofplacing the top pulleys with relation to the lower pulleys that is,arranging all the top pulleys to be at right angle, or nearly so, to theface of the rungs, while the lower pulleys are parallel to the rungs.The rope d I fasten to the lower part of the top ladder B thence itpasses over a pulley, d, hung in a sheave which is secured on top of thesecond ladder, B The sheave is twisted, in order to place its pulley dso as not to be parallel, but at an angle, to the rungs sufficient topass the rope from one side of the rungs to the other. The rope nextpasses down the back of the second lad der 13 over the pulley 61?, whichis arranged parallel to the rungs, in order for the rope to pass downand up in the same space. The rope from the pulley (1 passes upward overthe pulley d at top of ladder B The arrangement of said pulley d issimilar to that described for d. The rope next passes down the back ofladder B and so on in a similar manner with each successive ladder, thelower end of the rope passing over a pulley at d on the spindle 0;thence said rope passes over the top of the carriage, and finallyconnects with the windlass.

The advantages resulting from this arrangement of the tackle are, thatlarge sizes of pulleys can be used the pulling is on center line, andcan be done wit-h greater dispatch and ease; the cord will always remainsufficiently taut; it is not passed between the rungs,- and each sectioncan be fully extended.

I mount the ladders on or 05 their carriage by the hand attachment, asfollows: E is a turn-shaft or windlass, arranged to turn underneath thewagon, and being properly controlled by a ratchet, e, and pawl, 0. (SeeFigs. 1 and 4.) To the windlass E is secured one end of a chain, 0 andthis is further secured to a swing-bar, E and, finally, said chain isfastened to the bottom of the bottom ladder. (See Fig. 4.) The swing-barE has both its ends journaled to the opposite sides of the wagon, andsaid bar is bent V-shaped, so as to bring its center point below thewagon-axle to connect with the chain 0 as just stated. (See Figs. 1 and4.) The swing-bar gives purchase to the tackle and facilitates thehandling of the ladders. The windlass E, being operated from both sidesof the wagon, winds the chain and causes the ladders to be lifted fromthe carriage to a position the case requires, the ladders turning upontheir journal at- 0.

F represents a similar hand attachment, but to perform a differentpurpose. It is also a turn-shaft or windlass, turning in top of thewagonbed, and also properly controlled by rachetf and pawl f (See Figs.1 and 3.) The said windlass F connects by the chain or rope f to a loop,f that, further, has both ends secured to near top of the main ladder,as clearly 'shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3. It is by means of the handattachment f and its connections to the ladders that the same can bedrawn forward or backward from a perpendicular line, and this action cantake place when the ladders are extended or nested together, but mountedoff the carriage. Hence, it will he noted the apparatus can bemanipulated so that its ladders shall reach to or from a window or highpoint, or assume difierent angles with relation to the object saidladders are intended to reach.

It is apparent that, in the complete opera tion of the ladders by meansof the spring-bar levers, a greater portion of the weight must beshifted to one or the other of the rear wagon springs, causing same toclose together, while the opposite spring would expand.

To overcome and control the action of the wagon-sprin gs, I haveprovided the spring-lock, as follows: It consists of the rigid bar 9,the locking-levers g g, the bell-crank 9 the connecting-rod g", and thehand-brake g. (Sec Figs. 1, 4.)

The bar g is rigidly attached to both sides of the wagon, projectingpartly below the lower leaf of the springs.

The locking-levers g g are pivoted to the bottom of each of the springs,so thattheir short arms g with their notch, (see Fig. 4,) can be made topress against the rigid bars. Said levers are further curved, so thattheir long arms can be pivoted to each end of the bell-crank 9 whichoperates contiguous to the under side of the carriage.

The rod g connects to the center of the bellcrank, and also with thehand-brake g, which is arranged in the front of the carriage. (See Figs.1, 4.)

The springlocking attachment operates simultaneously on both sides ofthe wagonthat is, by throwing the hand-brake forward, the locking-leversare caused to clutch against the bars 9, locking both wagon-springs, orso that same have 110 spring action. Readjusting the hand-brake loosensthe levers, and the springs can then perform their ordinary function.

The springs of the wagon are thus quickly and easily controlled, so thatthe ladders can be handled or operated and used with safety.

The main windlass, to which the tackle connects to raise and lower theladders for extension purposes, can be stated to consist of a tight andloose pulley, constructed and arranged as follows:

H represents a turn-shaft (see Fig. 3) arranged in the front part of thewagon, and so that it can be operated by hand-cranks on both sides, andcontrolled by suitable brakes or ratchet-and-pawl attachments 71 (SeeFigs. 1 3.)

H represents, in connection with. the turnshaft H, a tight pulley, andit consists of a hollow shaft, forming part of which are side disks.(See Fig. 3.)

The loose pulley H is similarly constructed to that of H, and it isfirst placed on the turnshaft H, and can be adjusted along said shaft.The tight pulleys H H are next placed on and secured rigidly to theshaft H, (See Fig. 3,) so as to turn with the same.

Both tight pulleys operate sinniltaneously, and hence the tackle can beduplicated, if necessary; also, said pulleys can be operated independentof the loose pulley.

It can here be added that, like my former patented machine, it is myobject in the present device to be able to raise or extend the laddersby means of hand-power, and also to utilize the draft-team for the samepurpose.

The tight pulleys H H are to be so operated by hand-power, while to theloose pulley H the power of the draft-team is to be applied.

The tackle to extend the ladders is therefore connected to either one orboth of the tight pulleys H H A separate rope attachment, it, however,is necessary on the loose pulley, in order that the draft-team can beused to extend the ladders.

I term the pulley H a loose pulley, in contradistinction to the rigidpulleys H H and because said pulley H can be connected or disconnectedfrom the said rigid pulleys. For this purpose the side disk of the loosepulley H has holes k fitted to engage the pins M, which project from theside disk of the tight pulleys. (See Fig. 3.)

Further, to adjust the loose pulley into or out of engagement with thetight pulley, and, still further, to prevent the said loose pulley, whenfree or inactive, from turning with the turn-shaft, (and thus produce anuncoiling or entangling action of the rope h',) I have provided a pairof locking-levers, I. (See Fig. 3.)

The locking-levers I have their fulcrum at ion a bearing-plate, i. (SeeFigs. 1, 3.) Said plate in its front face has notches (see Fig. 1) forthe engagement of the ends of the locking-levers, which project outsidethe front of the carriage. (See Figs. 1, 3.)

The inner ends of the locking levers can be operated to clutch or loosentheir hold on the disk of the loose pulley, so that same can bepermitted to turn or be prevented from turning, and, also, by means ofsaid hand lockinglevers, said loose pulley can be adjusted into or outof engagement with the tight pulleys.

The cord on the loose pulley is of the proper length, so that the team.can extend the ladders; and here it will be noted that in so using thedraft-team it is still the tackle that connects to the tight pulleysthat extend the ladders.

J is a friction-brake, consisting of a handlever having its fulcrum at jand bearin g against a disk-wheel, j, that is rigid on the turn-shaft H.(See Figs. 1, 3.)

By means of the brake J and wheel j the Windlass can be properlycontrolled to lower the ladders.

To the front of the carriage, at j are provided two rollers or pulleys,so that the rope used or drawn by the team can be operated more readily,and this more specially when the pulley is directed sidewise.

My improved fire-escape can be constructed of durable parts, so as topossess strength and safety.

The construction is, further, such as to adapt the apparatus to be usedalso for narrow streets, and in all cases the handling and use of theladders can be accomplished in most decisive, quick, and safe manner.

What I claim is- 1. The herein-described tackle, in which the rope issecured to the lower end of the top ladder, B and passes over the pulleyr1, placed at the top of the second ladder, B", so as not to be parallelwith the rungs of said ladder, B thence passes down the back of saidladder, over the pulley (I placed parallel with the rungs and at thebottom of said ladder B thence passes upward over the pulley d,similarly arranged to that of (P, but at the top of the third ladder, Bthence passes down the back of said ladder, and so on in a similarmanner and in center line of all the ladders, and in combinationtherewith, as herein shown and described, as and for the purposes setforth.

2. The herein-described tackle, consisting of the rope secured to thelower end of the top ladder, B and passing over the pulley d, placed atthe top of the second ladder, so as to be not parallel with the rungs ofsaid ladder B thence passing down the back of said ladder, over thepulley d placed parallel with the rungs and at bottom of said ladder Bthence passing upward and over the pulley d (similarly arranged to thatof (1 at the top of the third ladder, B; thence passing down the back ofsaid ladder, and so on in a similar manner and in center line of all theladders nested within each other, and in combination with a carriagecarrying a Windlass, by means whereof the raising and lowering of saidladders is accomplished, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

3. The Windlass E, controlled by ratchet and pawl, the chain 6 theswinging bar E, consisting of a V-shaped bent bar, its center pointbrought below the wagon-axle and connecting to said chain, the oppositeside of the bar E being journaled to the truck, which carries a nest ofladders, all said parts being combined to operate substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the Windlass E, chain 0 the swinging bar E, theWindlass F, rope f f the sections of ladders journaled at c, all saidparts mounted-on a carriage, as herein shown and described, to operatesubstantially as set forth.

5. The hand attachment consisting of the lever C, havingits fulcrum at0', engaging the bearing 0 of the ladders, the spring-lever c engagingany of the holes in a plate, 0 all said parts being combined withladders mounted on a carriage, to operate in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

6. The wagon-spring lock consisting of the hand-lever, connecting rod,locking -levers, rigid bars, in combination with a springwagon.

7. The loose or movable pulley H having holes [L2 and carrying the ropeh, in combination with the tight or rigid pulleys H H the turn-shaft H,the tackle connection to a system of ladders mounted on a carriage.

8. The pair of locking-levers I, in combination with the adjustablepulley H the pulleys H H the turn-shaft H, the rope h, and

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set my hand in presenceof two wit tackle, ladders, and carriage, all constructed and combinedas set forth.

9. The friction-brake J, disk-wheel j, turnnesses. shaft H, carryingpulleys H H H rope h, DANIEL O. STRIFLER. tackle, ladders, and allmounted on a carriage, 'itnesses: and combined to operate as and for thepurpose set forth.

VVILLIAM WV. HERTHEL, JOHN W. HERTIIEL.

